Check a shop’s online descriptions against its warranty policy. If there are too many loopholes, you might be throwing your money away. If it sounds too good to be true, you might be rolling down your car windows soon.
A well-stocked remanufacturing shop has something to offer every car owner or mechanic. You can get remanufactured auto AC compressors—the big daddies that run the show—for every make and model of car and truck. You just have to find a shop that stocks or can locate what you want. Some companies make this a specialty along with their factory work.
What you’ll get from a remanufacturer for the money is the real question. Refurbished used parts knock a nice chunk off the price from the auto dealer’s parts department. A quality rebuilder will use original
equipment manufacturer components to make its parts like new. The pros will first pressure-wash the old unit, then stick it in a shot-blaster to pound away rust, debris and surface burrs. Surfaces such as the clutch and pulley are planed and reshaped, if necessary. Any failing components are replaced, and the machine is factory sealed.
In the all-important auto AC compressor, look for a factory that will sell you a used part, appropriate for your vehicle, that has been cleaned and reworked from the ground up. Make sure they use OEM bearings and seals—it won’t do your overall AC system much good if the compressor itself leaks.
A shop that offers a full inventory of additional, new parts will help you get the job done with one parts order.
Buy from a remanufacturer who also sells:
- Condensers
- Driers
- Accumulators
- Expansion valves
- Orifice tubes
- Various hose assemblies
Many auto repair shops that remanufacture compressors also stock new ones, with the dealer’s mark-up, of course. This convenience saves you time when a used model is out of stock or when all-new parts are needed for a special job. A shop that does this is obviously secure enough in its reputation to compete with new quality. That’s something to think about.
Who Can Buy Remanufactured AC Parts?
Buying refurbished auto AC parts directly from the factory isn’t limited to wholesale dealers or professional shops. Online ordering and support are available to individuals, too, in some cases anywhere on the planet. (Some compressor factories don’t ship internationally.)
Used parts that have been planed, buffed, oiled and shined are right for any consumer who drives or fixes cars or trucks. Individual car owners can get discounted compressors to pass along to their mechanics. Auto repair shop managers can buy AC parts for every job on the floor. Fleet supervisors can keep every vehicle ready for hot-weather driving, by keeping costs down with remanufactured repair parts.
Smart mechanics zero in on one of these part suppliers and form a close relationship—the kind where they can call each other anytime and whisper serial numbers in each other’s ears. That way when rush-job opportunities knock, they can be answered.
